Let Me Teach You
by gymnast1150
Summary: "Since when do you tell me what to do? Aren't I the tutor?" "You tutor me in algebra, and I tutor you with your love life." / Cammie helps Zach pass algebra, and in return, Zach helps Cammie win over Josh's heart, all while falling for her himself. Zammie cute cliché one-shot.


**This story was inspired by many different things, including other fanfics from other categories, as well as Clay and Jeff's friendship in _13 Reasons Why_ (:**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Gallagher Girls, the Blackthorne Boys, or the citizens of Roseville. They all belong to the incredible Ally Carter.**

 **Thanks to all my amazing betas: CammieGraceBishop, BookishBlues, and BooksAndBook!**

* * *

 _Let Me Teach You_

* * *

Zachary Goode had everything going for him. He played football, went to parties, got the girls…yet he didn't act like the rest of the popular crowd. That was probably why everyone in school liked him, and why he was undoubtedly the first teenager in history who seemed to not have any enemies. He was funny and kind, and he could make anyone feel special. And, of course, he was good-looking.

 _But_ he wasn't that smart.

He may have been the best wide receiver Roseville ever had, allowing him to secure a spot at a Division 1 school for college, but he was quite pathetic when it came to math and science. Which pretty much guaranteed him a rejection letter from any top school.

That's how Cammie Morgan became his tutor—because he was failing biology his sophomore year of high school. And although she was just a freshman at the time, she managed to help turn his grade around.

She knew Zach Goode was kind and amazing, and she believed all the nice things people said about him, but he was still wildly popular. So when he reached out to her the following year for help in algebra, she was slightly shocked that he even remembered her.

But he did. And she guessed that's why she agreed to tutor him again. Because someone as talented and as humble as Zach deserved a chance at the future he dreamed of having.

* * *

"The goal of algebra is, what?" Cammie asked.

"To make me want to blow my brains out?" Zach answered.

She gave him an unimpressed look. "No, Zach."

"Huh. So it's just a bonus, then?" he said, ignoring her warning glares.

She rolled her eyes, suppressing the small giggle that threatened to escape. His goofing off shouldn't be rewarded. "Zach, we just went over this!"

"I know, I'm just messing with you, Cam," he told her, laughing.

Cammie had been tutoring him for over a year, so she knew he was joking without him having to say anything. But, still. This stuff was important, and he needed to take it seriously.

"The goal of algebra is to figure out the value of a missing variable," he said in mock-seriousness, repeating what she had told him when they first started.

Cammie nodded. "And so with this equation, what's our end goal?" she asked, pointing to his first homework problem.

"To get X by itself?" he answered, then turned to her for confirmation.

She smiled, a sense of pride swelling at the fact that he was making progress because of her. "Good. See? You're learning."

"That's because I have the best tutor." He nudged her knee with his own under the table and gave her a big grin.

"Won't argue with that," she said with a wink. "So, what should you do first if you want X by itself?"

"Factor?"

"Exactly!" She was so giddy that she practically shouted in the quiet space of the school library.

Zach beamed. "You're getting a little too excited over this," he said, but Cammie knew that he was excited, too.

She shrugged. "Math makes me excited," she said lamely. So, she was kind of a nerd. At least she'd get into a good college and have a stable future.

Zach laughed like it was the funniest thing he'd heard all day, clutching his stomach as he rocked back in his seat.

Cammie let him laugh at her because she knew he wasn't _actually_ laughing at her. While she and Zach weren't exactly _friends_ , per say, they'd spent every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday after school together since the beginning of her freshman year. So, they were pretty comfortable, she guessed.

"Think you got it from here?" she asked him, motioning to the paper full of algebra equations in front of him.

"I think so. Watch the student become the master," he said cockily before starting on the first problem.

As Zach began to work on his math homework, Cammie glanced around the school's library, patiently waiting. Her gaze fell on the far table, and her heart raced.

Josh Abrams, the boy who she'd had the biggest crush on since freshman year, was just a few tables away. He was a year older than her, making him a junior along with Zach, so she never actually spoke to him, but she admired him from afar any chance she got. Like now.

"Do my eyes deceive me? Does the great Cammie Morgan have a _crush_?" she heard Zach tease.

She snapped her attention back to him, hoping he hadn't caught her watching Josh longingly like some cliché loser pining after the big football star. Although, that described the situation pretty accurately.

"What? No!" she lied, and she could feel her cheeks burn from embarrassment.

"Yes, you do. You like Josh Abrams." Zach smiled in amusement.

Cammie glanced around, checking to see if anyone overheard him. Jeez, he had a big mouth. " _Zach!_ " she whined.

That only made him smile bigger. "You _loooove_ Josh Abrams," he teased, poking her arm.

She threw her hands over his mouth because, honestly, what else could she do to make him shut up?

He laughed and pushed her hands away. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go talk to him," he said earnestly.

"No way. I can't do that," she argued with a shake of her head.

"Why not?" he asked, his eyebrows scrunching together like they always did when he had trouble solving a math problem.

"Because he's Josh."

"And you're Cammie."

"Exactly. Plain old Cammie Morgan. I can't just talk to someone like him. I'm not DeeDee McDermott," she grumbled, nodding toward the perky blonde cheerleader sitting next to Josh.

"Don't do that." Zach frowned.

"Do what?"

"Put yourself down like that," he said sternly. "You're every bit as amazing as DeeDee. And you _will_ go talk to him."

"What would I even say?" she asked, even though she wasn't actually thinking about going over there and talking to him. To entertain the idea would be ridiculous.

" _Hey, Josh. Looking dreamy today._ " Zach winked, and Cammie wanted to punch him in his pretty face.

"Enough," she declared, praying that he'd drop it because there was no way in hell she was going to say _that_ to Josh Abrams.

Zach chuckled, but he didn't relent, much to her displeasure. "Just tell him good luck at the game tonight," he offered.

"I guess I could do that," she mused, not entirely repulsed by his suggestion.

"See? Just like algebra—take it one step at a time." He smiled that easy-going smile of his, and she suddenly felt courageous enough to actually take his advice.

"Okay," she conceded. "But you're coming with me."

"What?" He chuckled.

"Yeah," she said as she began to pack up all of her stuff. "We'll walk by on our way out and as we pass, I'll wish him good luck."

"So, we're leaving?"

"I mean, we're basically done here anyway. Please, Zach?"

He sighed, but a small smile spread across his lips. "Okay, fine." He grabbed his bag and led Cammie past Josh and DeeDee's table. "Bye, guys. See ya later," he called out to them.

Cammie couldn't help but envy how natural he was with people. It was no wonder everyone in school loved him.

"Bye, Zach," DeeDee replied, all smiles and cheerful like she always was.

"See ya at the game, man," Josh said as he gave Zach a small wave.

Zach nudged Cammie inconspicuously, and she knew that meant it was her turn to say something. "Good luck tonight, Josh," she said, amazed at how calm her voice was considering how nervous she felt.

"Thanks, Cam," Josh replied and flashed her a bright smile.

She was able to walk out of the library casually, but once she and Zach were in the safety of the hallway, the reality of it all finally caught up to her.

"He knows my name," she said in shock.

"Atta girl!" Zach proclaimed, smiling proudly. "See? I told you, you could do it."

"I can't believe he knows my name."

He scoffed. "You're not exactly a loser here, Cam," he said defensively in her honor.

"Well, no. But I'm not like…DeeDee McDermott either," she argued.

"Stop that," Zach warned, pointing his finger at her like an angry parent, and she looked away sheepishly. "So, are you coming to the game tonight?"

She shook her head. "No. Football's not really my thing."

"Not even to check out Josh's ass in his tight football pants?" he teased her with a smirk.

Her cheeks burned from her blush, and she smacked him square in his chest.

He laughed and rubbed at the spot. "Ow! Okay, fine. Don't come. I'll just see you Monday, then."

* * *

"You _talked_ to him?" Liz asked in disbelief, pausing in restocking the ticket roll at the movie theater they worked at together.

"Zach made me," Cammie told her with a sigh.

"Since when are you and Zachary Goode friends?" Liz asked, scrunching up her face.

Cammie rolled her eyes. "I'm just his tutor. You know that."

"And that requires him forcing you to talk to your life-long crush?" Liz questioned.

"Okay, one, it's only been a year. And two, he caught me staring at Josh during our session and gave me some advice. He didn't force me," Cammie explained.

"Be careful, Cam," Liz advised. "Zach's friends with Dillion and his group of asshats. You can't be sure if he's being genuine or if he's just trying to set you up for something."

Cammie gave her a look. "Come on, Liz. Zach's not like that."

"No, he's not," Liz agreed. "But some of his friends are."

Cammie couldn't necessarily argue with her because Dillion _was_ the biggest dick on the planet. But like she said, Zach wasn't like the rest of them. Cammie could see that from the moment she met him. His smile was _way_ too genuine to be one of those stereotypical mean jocks, like Dillion.

"Oh my God. Cam…" Liz trailed off, her eyes wide and directed toward a group of football players wearing their varsity jackets and walking toward them at the ticket booth.

Cammie caught Zach's eye among the small crowd, and he glanced over at Josh before giving her a wink. She knew then that this was no coincidence. Zach must have orchestrated the whole run-in on purpose. Which, kind of confused her. Why would he go out of his way to do something like that? And for _her_?

"Hey, Cam." He smiled as he approached her.

"Hey, Zach," she greeted. "How was the game last night? Did you guys win?"

He gave her a weird look. "You _do_ know who you're talking about, right?" he asked. "Of course we won!"

She giggled. "Congrats."

Zach rested his weight on the counter's ledge, leaning in closer to her as he whispered, "And Josh scored three touchdowns and intercepted two passes."

Cammie mimicked him, leaning in and whispering back, "Why are you telling me this?"

"So you can tell Josh you heard he did well at the game!" he exclaimed excitedly.

"What?" Cammie asked in shock.

"When he buys his ticket, just casually mention you heard about our victory and how awesome he did," Zach guided.

"Since when do you tell me what to do? Aren't _I_ the tutor?" she teased with a smile.

"You tutor me in algebra, and I tutor you with your love life." He grinned.

"Why would you do that?" she asked, wondering why Zach would bother with her outside of academics at all, much less in something so personal.

He shrugged, looking slightly bashful. "You helped me pass bio last year, and you're helping me keep my grade up in algebra so I don't get kicked off the football team. I want to help you in any way I can." He gave her an easy grin. "Come on, will it really kill you to take some of my advice?"

She rolled her eyes light-heartedly. "Fine. I'll _casually mention_ the game," she conceded.

Giving her another wink before ordering his ticket, Zach moved aside and Josh stepped forward.

"One for _Guardians of the Galaxy_ ," he requested.

Cammie silently tapped her screen and printed a ticket for him, scolding herself for being such a wimp.

Finally, she decided she was just going to go for it, forcing out, "I heard you guys won last night. Congrats."

"Thanks. You didn't go?" he asked coolly, even sounding a little disappointed, unaware of how hard her heart was beating.

She shook her head. "I had…other plans," she lied lamely. "But I heard you were the reason the team won. I mean, three touchdowns? That's pretty impressive."

He shot her a toothy grin, and she knew she was a goner. "I wasn't the _only_ reason," he said humbly, "but I did have the game of my life."

She smiled and nodded, wishing their conversation didn't have to end so soon. But she handed him his ticket nonetheless, savoring the moment she had her first real conversation with Josh Abrams. "Enjoy the movie, Josh."

"Thanks." He turned to leave, but abruptly turned back. "Hey, Cammie? You should come to the next game. The more fans we have, the better we play. Who knows, maybe with you there, I'll score four touchdowns."

She wasn't sure, but it was almost like Josh was _flirting_ with her. Stunned, she tried not to smile too brightly. "Yeah. Yeah, I'll be there," she promised.

"Cool," he said, smiling back.

She watched as he joined the rest of his friends, Zach giving her a discreet thumbs-up.

From the other side of the ticket booth, Liz smirked. "Does this mean we're going to our first football game?"

* * *

Zach walked up to their normal table in the library and dropped his backpack. "Guess who got a 73% on his homework," he announced, smiling happily.

Cammie, on the other hand, was not so happy. "73%? Zach, what happened? You were doing so well on Friday!" she exclaimed, shocked and a little disappointed.

"Well, _someone_ cut our session short to flirt with some dreamy football player, so I was on my own for the vignettes," he said as he sat down next to her. "And although I know how to solve equations, I'm a little rough on setting them up from a word problem."

Cammie sighed heavily with guilt. "Zach, I am so sorry. That was so selfish of me—"

"No worries, Cam," he said nonchalantly, brushing the whole thing off. "If you get a boyfriend and I still pass the class, then no harm done."

She gave him an unimpressed look. "Josh is not my boyfriend."

"Not yet. But with my help, he will be in no time," he said genuinely.

Liz's words echoed in her head, but Cammie knew then that her best friend was wrong. Zach was completely sincere in trying to help her impress Josh.

"You going to the game this Friday?" he asked. "I know it's not really _your scene_ , but you should still come. They're a lot of fun."

"I don't know…" She wasn't big on social gatherings, especially when crowds were involved.

"Didn't you tell Josh you'd go?" He smiled and tilted his head. "Now you have to go, Cam. To support Josh."

She squirmed uncomfortably in her seat, just thinking about how nervous she'd be if Josh actually thought she went just for him. Would he be flattered and impressed? Or would he be weirded out and think she was some obsessed loser?

"How about to support me?" Zach amended, and for some reason, Cammie found herself wanting to agree. The idea of going for Zach felt a lot safer. "Let's make a deal. I have a quiz on Thursday, and if I get a C- or higher, you have to go to the game. Sound good?"

Cammie thought about it for a moment before responding, "B or higher."

"C+," he countered. "Come on, Cam. That's high for me."

She sighed. "Fine. C+ or higher, and I'll go to the game."

Zach smiled proudly and leaned back in his chair in satisfaction. "You've got yourself a deal, Cammie Morgan."

* * *

Cammie was in class Friday when her phone vibrated in her pocket.

 _Zach Goode [Sent Sep 12, 1:07pm]: B-. See you at the game tonight ;)_

* * *

Liz and Cammie had arrived at the football game just before kickoff, squeezing their way into the overcrowded student section to join Bex Baxter and Macey McHenry who had waved them over to the front.

Cammie caught sight of Josh's jersey right away. It wasn't until the first quarter was almost over, though, that she saw Zach, and the only reason she noticed him was because he had taken his helmet off to gulp down a cup of water.

"Go Zach!" Macey yelled from beside her.

He looked up into the stands, somehow hearing her over the loud roar of the crowd.

He gave Macey a small wave, but when he smiled, Cammie swore it was aimed at her. Although, in her mind, it made more sense for it to be aimed at Macey, but it wasn't until Zach was already rushing back onto the field that she realized he had shouted her name and shot her a wink.

She decided that maybe football games weren't so bad after all.

* * *

"So, I saw you at the game Friday," Zach said at their next session.

"That was the deal, wasn't it?"

"I know, but part of me thought maybe you wouldn't show," he exclaimed, his head down as he worked on a math problem. "I'm glad you did, though."

Cammie smiled. "Me too. And you were amazing. I heard someone say you've never played better."

He chuckled and smiled appreciatively. "Thanks, Cam. If only complimenting Josh was that easy, huh?"

Although she knew he was teasing, she realized that it was true—talking to Zach was much easier than talking to Josh. It could've been partly because she had spent so much time with Zach over the past year, but a lot of it had to do with the fact that he made her feel comfortable. She never second-guessed herself with him, and that was what she liked most about him. That was probably what everyone else loved about him, too—he was nice, easy going, and genuine.

"Okay, I think I've got it," he exclaimed, handing her his completed worksheet.

She looked over it quickly and smiled. "Wow. You got them all right."

A grin spread across his face. "Yeah?" he asked, his voice hopeful.

She nodded and handed the sheet back to him. "Good job, Zach."

"I've never gotten 100% before. Feels good." He leaned back in his chair and stretched, locking his hands behind his head. This caused his chest to flex out, and the white t-shirt he was wearing did little to hide his defined muscles from Cammie's sight.

She caught herself gawking, which was something she hardly ever did when it came to Zach. He was quickly becoming a good friend of hers, and the thought of him being extremely attractive hadn't occurred to her before.

Thankfully, she didn't have a lot of time to overthink it before Zach's name was called and their tutoring session was interrupted.

"Hey, Goode!" Dillion Jones shouted as he walked up to their table. "Man, why didn't you tell me what happened after that party this weekend? I had to hear from _Josh_ that you hooked up with Macey. What's that about?" he whined.

"Uh…" Zach stammered, glancing over at a shocked Cammie.

Dillion noticed and looked at her too before promptly ignoring her. "Whatever, man. But I want details! I bet McHenry is frisky in bed." He slapped Zach on the back as if congratulating him. Then he left without a word to Cammie, not that she'd expected anything more from Dillion.

An awkward silence fell around them, and for the first time, Cammie didn't know what to say to Zach.

"I didn't know you and Macey were dating."

"We're not." He avoided making eye contact with her, focusing on his notebook and worksheets instead as he straightened them into a neat pile in front of him. Finally, he looked up at her with his big green eyes.

"Oh," was all she could say. There was an uncomfortable silence again. Cammie had thought that Zach wasn't like the rest of Dillion's friends, having meaningless hookups with random girls. But she was wrong.

And she didn't know why that made her feel slightly betrayed.

* * *

Liz and Cammie had become regulars at the football games on Friday nights, meeting up with Bex and Macey each time to enjoy the game from the front row where the more enthusiastic fans sat. More often than not, they got to have small chats with some of the football players in between plays, and Cammie even talked to Josh a few times over the weeks. Which never went unnoticed by Zach, who kept congratulating her the following Mondays during their tutoring sessions on making serious progress.

One night, after the game of the season against Roseville's rival team, Cammie was standing outside the restroom waiting for Liz when two arms swept her up from behind and swung her around.

"Did you see that? _We won!_ " Zach shouted in excitement.

"You were incredible," Cammie told him, laughing as he set her back down on the ground.

"You should come party with us," he suggested, obviously caught up in the moment with having the biggest win of the season.

"Uh, I don't think so," she declined, scrunching up her nose. "I've had enough excitement for one night."

"Cam, come on," he practically begged. He took a step closer to where they were almost touching and lowered his head so only she could hear him. "This could be your big opportunity to seduce Josh."

She laughed awkwardly. "I'm not _seducing_ Josh."

He grinned. "I'm not letting you say no." He looked around, pausing when a group of his teammates walked by. "Hey, Josh?" he yelled out to them, causing Josh to glance in their direction. "Shouldn't Cammie come out and party with us?"

Josh smiled. "Definitely."

Zach turned back to Cammie, smirking. "See?"

She glanced between the two boys, each with their own excited smiles etched onto their faces. "Okay. Sure," she agreed, not noticing that she wasn't sure which of them had convinced her more.

* * *

Cammie was having a good time to a point where she was slightly tipsy. Zach's friends kept giving her shots and handing off bottles for her to drink, and at some point, Macey and Bex had convinced her and Liz to dance to Beyoncé's _Single Ladies_ with them.

Everything was great. She was having the time of her life, and although she wasn't completely drunk, she definitely wasn't ready to walk in a straight line.

Which explained why she stumbled into Josh when she'd tried.

"Whoa there," he exclaimed as he caught her arm. "I think it's time to slow down." He took the bottle out of her hands and replaced it with a can of soda.

"Hi, Josh. Is the room spinning?" she asked as she began to sway.

"Nope, just you." He laughed, leading her over to the couch and sitting down next to her. "Enjoying yourself?"

She nodded and giggled. "You did amazing tonight, by the way," she said, placing her hand on his arm without even thinking.

He didn't pull away though. Instead, he smiled down into her glossed over eyes.

"I don't understand why you let me come to your party, though," she mused, trying her best not to slur.

Shrugging, he drank from the bottle he had taken from her. "I don't know. Maybe I just wanted you here."

She shivered from the goosebumps that broke out across her skin, and she felt like smiling like an idiot.

"Hey, Josh!" DeeDee yelled from across the room and waved him over.

He eyed Cammie and asked, "Are you going to be okay?"

Cammie wanted to tell him to stay and not go over to DeeDee. She even opened her mouth to do just that before she was rudely interrupted.

"Don't worry. I'll babysit her," Zach offered before sitting down in the spot Josh had vacated. His arm dropped across the back of the couch behind her head as he settled into a comfortable position. "How you holding up, Cam?"

She closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder, moaning into his shirt.

She felt, more so than heard, his chuckle as it reverberated through his chest. "That bad, huh?" he asked, rubbing her shoulder.

"No. So much fun. Just tired," she mumbled.

"Want me to take you home?"

She shook her head. "I don't want to inconvenience you."

"Hey," he said as he leaned his forehead against hers. "You are _not_ an inconvenience. If anything, you're my favorite person here."

She lifted her head and narrowed her unfocused eyes. She knew he wasn't serious.

Her look must not have intimidated him like she hoped since he simply laughed at it. "You know, Josh said he thought you were pretty cool. I think we're getting somewhere," he told her with a triumphant smile.

She glanced over her shoulder to where Josh had disappeared to with DeeDee, spotting the two of them talking in the kitchen and laughing. "I don't know about that. He looks pretty happy with Barbie back there."

Zach briefly looked behind them before turning back to her. "Hey, you are every bit as amazing as DeeDee."

"You've already said that," she said with an eye roll.

"And I meant it!" he assured her. "You, Cammie Morgan, are a one-of-a-kind amazing."

She looked up into his eyes, feeling her heartbeat quicken and her pulse race. Or was that his? They were close enough that she figured it could've been his.

She leaned into him without thinking, and through her blurry vision, she swore she saw him leaning in, too.

Josh came back then and said something to the two of them, but Cammie couldn't make out his words. She jumped away from Zach quickly and threw up on the floor.

* * *

Cammie was finishing up the last bit of her homework when her phone buzzed.

 _[unknown number] [Sent Oct 15, 2:32pm]: Hey Cam. It's Josh Abrams :)_

 _[unknown number] [Sent Oct 15, 2:32pm]: Hope you don't mind that Zach gave me your number._

She smiled down at the texts, squealing from exhilaration. Josh texted her! Even after she threw up on his carpet the night before, he still wanted to talk to her!

 _Cammie Morgan [Sent Oct 15, 2:34pm]: No, not at all!_

 _Josh Abrams [Sent Oct 15, 2:35pm]: Good :) Glad you came to my party last night! I had a lot of fun hanging out with you._

 _Josh Abrams [Sent Oct 15, 2:35pm]: We should do it again some time. Just maybe without all the alcohol ;)_

 _Cammie Morgan [Sent Oct 15, 2:36pm]: Sounds good :) And sorry about that…_

She and Josh continued to text all day and night. In fact, she hadn't done much else all weekend besides talk to him until she received a text from Zach late Sunday night saying, "You're welcome".

She rolled her eyes but smiled at the same time as she sent him a bunch of smiling faces.

* * *

Zach and Cammie's tutoring sessions turned more into study dates considering Zach was doing a lot better in class. Instead of constantly watching over him, she left him alone while she worked on her own homework, only really bothering him when he had a question or he was done and had asked her to look things over.

They had settled into a comfortable silence one afternoon when out of nowhere, he suggested, "We should hang out more."

"We hang out every other day," she argued.

"I meant outside of tutoring," he corrected, bumping her knee with his. "We never do anything together."

"We went to that one party together," she pointed out, even though she hated remembering puking all over Josh's floor.

She very rarely thought about the events leading up to that, but now speaking of that fateful night out loud with Zach, the image of almost kissing him popped into her head.

She wondered if he had been thinking the same thing, because he shrugged awkwardly and, almost sheepishly, said, "Yeah, but…even more than that."

She nodded, hiding her blushing cheeks. "Okay. That'd be cool," she said with a shy smile.

He smiled back, and her heart fluttered at the idea of actually hanging out with Zach like they were real friends.

* * *

They decided to go see a movie later that week, and Cammie was kind of nervous to be alone with Zach outside of tutoring. But it was a good kind of nervous—almost like she was excited. Which was crazy, because it was just Zach. They were just hanging out together like she would with any of her other friends. No big deal.

She was amused when he refused to let her buy her own candy, arguing that she had bought the tickets, so it was only fair for him to buy the snacks. She didn't mention that the tickets were free since she worked there, knowing that he already knew it but was pretending like it didn't matter.

For a brief moment, her brain pictured what it'd be like if she and Zach were actually together. Like a real couple.

And she couldn't deny that it seemed like a really good idea.

She quickly dismissed it, though, knowing the only reason she and Zach were even friends was because he was helping her win over Josh's heart. Besides, she was finally getting somewhere with Josh, and he was the one she really wanted.

They found their seats and Zach's arm rested along the back of her chair, reminding her of how they sat at the party before she got sick.

When he had told her she was one-of-a-kind amazing and she had almost kissed him.

She glanced up at him, hoping for some kind of explanation, but he looked as casual as one would in their own living room. Maybe draping his arm around a girl didn't really mean anything to him? Maybe it was just a reflection of how comfortable he was with everyone?

She was slightly jealous of his confidence, but mainly in awe of it.

As the lights began to dim for the movie to start, Cammie heard a familiar voice call her name.

"Cammie? Zach?" Josh stood in the aisle with DeeDee right behind him. "Hey, guys!"

When she turned to face Josh, Cammie knocked Zach's hand off her. "Oh, hey," she answered sweetly. She was acutely aware of Zach shifting in his seat beside her, but she was too busy watching Josh walk toward her with that winning smile of his trained on her to care.

"Mind if we join you?" he asked, motioning to the open seats next to them.

She shook her head enthusiastically, smiling when Josh took the chair next to hers.

And she wasn't certain, but she could've sworn she saw Zach glare at him.

* * *

"Are you and Zach dating?"

Cammie snapped her attention to the desk next to her, only to find DeeDee waiting for an answer.

"What? No, we're just friends," Cammie said, surprised by the question.

"Huh." DeeDee's eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Why?" Cammie asked, unsure of how DeeDee could think that she and Zach were actually _dating_.

DeeDee shook her head and gave Cammie a knowing smile. "It's just that…no friend of mine looks at me the way Zach looks at you."

* * *

Jonas White had been in most of Cammie's classes since her freshman year, but she had never talked to him before. The only thing she really knew about Jonas was that he was practically a genius, and that he was Zach's best friend.

So when they were partnered together for a chemistry experiment one day in class, she hadn't really expected any kind of casual conversation to take place.

That's why she was surprised when he randomly said, "Zach tells me you're the superhero who's saving his grade."

"If by that, you mean his tutor, then yes," she explained, writing down the measurement of how much water he had been pouring into their beaker.

He examined the glass for a minute before putting it down and sighing. "I know as his best friend, I probably shouldn't tell you this. But seeing as you're creating a miracle, I'm going to tell you anyway. I think the only reason Zach's actually learning is because _you're_ the one who's tutoring him."

"I'm not a miracle worker, Jonas," she argued. "I'm sure he could learn from anyone."

He shook his head, his floppy hair falling over the top rim of his glasses. "Freshman year, he had a tutor that didn't help at all," he explained.

"Well, maybe his tutor just sucked?"

He grinned like he was privy to some inside joke. " _I_ was his tutor," he told her.

"Oh." She felt her cheeks flame hot from embarrassment. Thankfully, he didn't seem to be offended at all by her comment.

"Like I said, I hadn't helped at all. And then last year, you came along and he could kind of grasp things a little better. Now, suddenly he's getting the highest grades he's ever gotten. The more time he spends with you, the harder he works and the better he wants to do."

She was shocked. "Really?" she asked, wondering what that all meant.

"Well, it's not like he's actually said it, but it's obvious he does it for you," Jonas confessed, turning the majority of his attention back to the experiment. "You're pretty much all he talks about."

Cammie thought about Jonas' words, and realized that Zach _had_ become an above-average student within the past few weeks. But she had always attributed it to him really becoming serious about college since he'd be graduating next year. Never would she think that it was all because of her—because Zach was trying to _impress_ her.

She wanted to ask Jonas if that was what he had meant, but the timer for the beaker boiling over the Bunsen burner went off, and Jonas was back to work, and she had officially missed her chance.

* * *

Zach walked into the library with a big grin. He sat down in the seat next to Cammie and handed her his latest algebra test.

"Oh my God, is that an A?" she exclaimed, tearing the paper out of his hands.

Sure enough, there was a big red 100% written in the right hand corner. She couldn't help but smile proudly.

Zach laughed. "I was surprised, too."

"Zach, this is incredible!" she cried, instinctively reaching out and pulling him into a tight embrace.

She hadn't realized what she'd done until he was hugging her back, his strong arms wrapping around her. The feeling of his warm hands touching her sent shivers down her spine and her heart fluttered once again.

"Never in my life did I think I'd get an A on a test," he admitted. "And it's all thanks to you."

"Wait, this is your first A?" she asked. She found it hard to believe, despite the fact that he had been rather pitiful before she came along.

But when he nodded a bit sheepishly, she realized that it must've been true. He had _never_ gotten an A before.

Jonas' words flashed in her mind again, and a small part of her wanted to believe that what he had said was true—that Zach was doing all of this for her. She didn't think she'd ever felt more giddy in her life.

"I'm so proud of you," she told him honestly.

"Thanks, Cam. Seriously, I couldn't have done this without you." He smiled at her affectionately.

Surprisingly, it stirred something inside her, and she decided that she hated when he smiled like that. How embarrassing was it that a simple smile could turn her brain into mush, and all she could think about was kissing him?

She definitely hated when he smiled.

But she secretly loved it, too.

* * *

She didn't really want to go to Dillion's party, especially when she found out that Zach wasn't going to be there. But of course, she agreed to go because Josh had asked her to.

Worst decision of her life.

Dillion had suggested they play Truth-or-Dare, and when Josh had promised her that it would be fun, she reluctantly agreed. Again.

A part of her had thought that the reason Josh wanted her to play so badly was because he wanted to use it as a way to admit his feelings for her. She wasn't positive if he actually _did_ like her like that, but they had grown really close since the beginning of the year, and it just seemed like there was something special developing between them.

Maybe that's why she felt devastated and completely betrayed when it came out that Josh and DeeDee were now dating.

Cammie left the party soon after, using the lame excuse that she wasn't feeling well (which wasn't a lie considering her stomach was twisted in knots and she felt like she could throw up at any moment). It took everything in her to not cry in front of everyone at the party, and to wait until she was in the safety of her own home before she let the tears fall freely.

It was almost an hour before she could breathe again without her throat constricting, and when she thought she could finally speak, she called Zach.

"Cam! What's up? How's the party?" he answered enthusiastically, something that was just so Zach.

She sniffled. "Zach?" she cried, her voice wavering from the strain of holding back yet another stream of tears.

"Cammie?" His voice was suddenly serious. "What's wrong?"

"Um, Josh…and DeeDee…" she trailed off, not even knowing how to explain.

"Shit," he muttered under his breath. "Where are you?"

"My house."

"I'm on my way."

The moment he arrived at her house, Cammie flung herself into his arms.

Zach held her trembling body tight against him as she cried into his shirt. He didn't say anything at first, which she was thankful for. She wasn't sure she'd be able to explain what happened through the aching in her throat thanks to all the tears she cried.

Eventually, though, after her tears had stopped and they had simply sat there tangled in an embrace, he finally spoke.

"What happened?" he asked, trailing his fingers along her bare arms. She leaned closer to him, loving the affection he always gave her.

"Josh is dating DeeDee," she told him, wiping at her tear-stained cheeks. "I found out at the party."

His fingers stalled in their path, and she felt him sigh into her hair. He ran a hand over his face, looking almost as upset as she felt. "Cam, I'm so sorry," he said solemnly.

"I don't want to talk about it." She looked away, unravelling herself from his arms and wrapping her own around her middle.

Zach grimaced. "Don't do this to yourself. No guy is worth it."

"Josh wasn't just any guy," she groaned. "He was the first guy I ever liked, and I was stupid enough to think I could compete with DeeDee McDermott."

"Cam, you are a _way_ better person than she'll ever be," he argued, turning to face her. "You're sweet and genuine, and you're so incredibly funny. I don't think anyone can make me smile as much as I do when I'm with you. You're smart. Like, really freaking smart. The smartest person I know. And you have the biggest heart I've ever seen, helping me even back when I was hopeless. Cammie, I…" he trailed off, shaking his head as if he couldn't find the right words.

She looked up at him in silence. His dark eyes bore into hers, full of deeply rooted emotion.

She didn't know if he was going to say or do anything considering he looked at a loss for words. But after a moment of her wondering what was going through his head, he grabbed her and kissed her.

With his hands half in her hair, half on her face, he held her against him, and before she knew it, her hands were on him and she was kissing him back.

For a moment, she was swept away by the rush of emotion and heat and want. But then she turned and broke the kiss, hoping that putting space between them would help her clear her thoughts. Being with Zach was always the highlight of her day, but she had never considered the possibility of him being into her. It was all too confusing, and she wasn't sure how to process it.

Zach ran a hand through his hair, obviously tortured by her silence. "I'm sorry. I—"

"I think you should leave," she whimpered softly, still unable to even look at him.

The room was silent, and all she could hear was his breathing. She risked a glance in his direction and instantly regretted it. His eyes were desperate, begging her to not push him away—begging her to understand.

But she just _couldn't_. How did they get here? Everything had been going so well—so perfectly. He was getting the highest grades he'd ever gotten, and although Josh had chosen DeeDee over her, she had never felt more confident thanks to Zach. They had become so close, she'd even call them friends. She'd even go as far as to say they were _best friends_! How could things have gotten so crazy and complicated so quickly?

Zach's jaw ticked as he swallowed, and she prayed to God that he wasn't going to cry. Without a word, he nodded his head and left.

And although she was the one who told him to go, she hated herself for not running after him.

* * *

Cammie used every excuse she could think of as to why she couldn't meet up with him. She had tests to study for, or she was grounded, or she was sick. Any reason to avoid seeing Zach.

She stopped replying to his messages, and since they were in different grades and were taking different classes, they never crossed paths. Eventually, they stopped talking altogether.

She felt awful knowing he still might have needed her help with academics, but he had come a long way since the start of the year—he didn't actually need her anymore.

And as much as that hurt, it eased her guilt. Now he really did have it all—popularity, athletic talent, good looks, and brains… He didn't need her at all.

* * *

"Want to come to the game with Preston and me?" Macey asked, standing in the doorway to Cammie's room. "I promise you won't be the awkward third wheel."

Cammie knew how badly she wanted to go, but she also knew that she couldn't. Zach would be there, and she wasn't sure she was ready to face him yet. "I'm all right. Thanks."

"Cam, it's the state championship game," Macey pointed out. "You're really not going to go?"

Cammie shook her head, despite her feeling a tad guilty for, once again, not going out with her friends.

Macey sighed and sat down on the edge of Cammie's bed. "I promised myself I wasn't going to get involved because it's none of my business, but you're both my friends and this is getting ridiculous. You need to get a grip and talk to Zach. You're miserable, and avoiding him isn't helping."

"I'm not avoiding him," Cammie argued lamely. Even to her own ears, it wasn't convincing.

Macey threw her a look.

"I can't talk to him, Macey. I can't even look at him," Cammie explained, ashamed by the truth.

"He's been a wreck since you two stopped talking," Macey said. "Seriously, what are you so afraid of? It's obvious how he feels about you."

"Well, maybe that's the problem. What if I don't feel the same way?"

Macey scoffed. "Oh, please. Everyone can see how into each other you are."

Cammie didn't have an argument, because it was possible that she did like Zach, but she hadn't let herself think about it since the kiss. If she was honest with herself, she didn't even know how she felt. She was all sorts of confused.

"Is it… because of me?" Macey asked, her voice quiet with a hint of shame. "Because what happened between Zach and I was a one-time thing and it meant nothing. Seriously, I think he only did it to get you out of his system."

"It has nothing to do with you, Mace." Although it didn't help knowing Zach had hooked up with one of her best friends.

"Then what is it that's keeping you from him?" Macey asked impatiently.

Honestly? She was embarrassed. And ashamed. She hadn't meant to never speak to him again, but after the way she handled Zach's kiss, she just couldn't handle seeing him. And she felt so guilty about it, but there was nothing she could do at this point.

"I just can't do it, Macey. It's too late."

"It's never too late." Macey shook her head, frustrated. "If you could confront your feelings and just _talk to him_ , you could fix this."

"Am I even ready to confront my feelings?" Cammie asked with big pleading eyes. "I've been shoving them down for so long that I don't know if I'll ever be ready!"

"Well, there's only one way to find out," Macey told her. "Answer me, Cam. How _do_ you feel?"

About Zach? Well, she loved him.

 _Wait, what?_

The thought stunned her. It was what she was afraid the answer would be, but when she thought about it more, it made sense. She thought about his laugh and his smile, about his kind heart, about his determination to be better… _for her_.

When she thought about it, there was nothing to be scared of. It was obvious that she loved him. It was hard not to when he had always believed in her and saw the best in her. He made her feel special. How could she miss it before when it was so clear now that she had grown to love him?

She turned to Macey, preparing to finally confirm her feelings and say them out loud, but the look on Macey's face told her that she already knew.

Macey smirked. "Finally! Talk about being the last to know."

* * *

Cammie ran up to the fence surrounding the track and football field and searched for Zach's jersey number. There was a sea of blue and white jerseys, but none with his famous 28 on the back that she could see.

"Cammie?" Josh asked as he made his way over. "What are you doing?"

"I need to talk to Zach," she answered, aware of how crazy she sounded.

"Now? We're in the middle of a game," Josh exclaimed.

"I know, but…" her voice trailed off, not knowing how to say that she needed to tell Zach how she felt and that she wanted to be with him.

But she didn't have to for Josh to read it on her face. He smiled softly. "Here." He offered his hand and helped her over the fence.

She smiled to herself when she noticed that she wasn't affected by his touch any more. Her heart belonged to someone else now.

"Go get him, Cam," Josh encouraged her, smiling brightly.

"Thanks, Josh."

She ran to the sideline with the other football players and continued her search. But she still couldn't find him.

"Cammie! I'm so glad you're here!" DeeDee shouted over the buzz of the crowd as she gave Cammie a hug. "Please tell me you're here to kiss and make up. We can't afford to have a heartbroken wide-receiver right now."

"Have you seen Zach?" Cammie asked, choosing to ignore DeeDee's _heartbroken wide-receiver_ comment. "I can't find him."

"He's already on the field," DeeDee told her, motioning to where their players stood in a huddle.

Sure enough, Zach was among them. Cammie felt a slight ache of disappointment.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" DeeDee asked, her voice as perky and excited as ever.

"I can't go out there. They're playing!" Cammie argued.

DeeDee's eyes lit up with an idea and a huge grin broke out across her lips. "There's a few seconds left in the quarter. Hold on until then, okay? I've got you covered," she exclaimed excitedly. Then she bounced back to the other cheerleaders, her bright blonde ponytail swishing behind her.

Cammie had no idea what DeeDee was up to, but she slowly made her way to the edge of the field anyway, completely aware of how crazy this was.

What was she doing? She could just wait until after the game to talk to him. She didn't have to do it _right now_!

She watched as the players broke from their huddle and spread out across the line. She couldn't help but glance up at the scoreboard. The team was down, and not just by a little bit—the first time she could remember all season. The play that they tried to execute was one that they did frequently. She was confused to see that Zach wasn't cutting up the field like he usually did—his running seemed half-hearted and he lacked his usual exuberance.

Cammie had convinced herself not to follow through with her crazy idea when the whistle blew and the quarter ended. She turned away, ready to hide out in the bleachers until the game was over when suddenly, she heard people start chanting her name.

The cheerleaders, led by DeeDee, were getting the crowd to cheer for her. Soon, everyone was chanting, " _Cam-mie! Cam-mie! Cam-mie!_ "

DeeDee smiled and winked. " _Go!"_ she mouthed and pointed to the field.

The players were turning their attention to the cheering crowd in confusion as they came off of the field. The coaches and officials weren't sure how to react either.

Taking a deep breath, Cammie started out onto the grass, her heart beating out of her chest. She was really doing this. In front of everyone.

Zach was the last player to turn around, and when he caught sight of Cammie heading toward him, he broke away from the rest of his team and jogged to meet her halfway.

"Cam, what are you doing here?" he asked, taking his helmet off. His hair was matted to his forehead and dripping with sweat, but Cammie still thought he looked good. Something the flutter in her stomach made painfully obvious.

"It's the championship game," she answered awkwardly, trying to lighten the mood. "I couldn't miss this."

"And you couldn't watch it from the bleachers?"

Her stomach was a bundle of nerves, but she forced herself to say it anyway. "I need to talk to you."

His eyes grew hard and his mouth fixed in a straight line. "Oh, _now_ you want to talk? After weeks of silence?"

"I never meant to avoid you," she defended. "I wanted to go after you the moment you walked out the door."

"Why didn't you?"

She shrugged helplessly. "Because I was confused?" she answered, and even she could hear the shakiness to her voice. "I never thought you'd feel that way about me, so I never let myself think that way about _you_. But then you kissed me, and suddenly I was feeling all these things and I guess I just got scared."

"That still doesn't explain why you ignored me," Zach spat out, the harshness of his voice tempered by the vulnerability in his words.

"I don't know. I was embarrassed?" God, she hated how unsure she sounded. "What I felt for you terrified me and I handled it all wrong. I should've never told you to leave. And then I felt so guilty that I just couldn't get myself to face you again." She shook her head in disdain, ashamed by the truth. "I never meant to avoid you," she repeated sadly.

"You didn't just avoid me, Cammie. You _abandoned_ me when I needed you," he disputed, his eyes wide and pleading like they were when he kissed her that night.

She almost scoffed, but she stopped herself. "Zach, you're a brilliant student. I haven't tutored you in weeks," she said defensively. "You don't need me anymore."

He shook his head and a bead of sweat dripped down the side of his face. Something Cammie surprisingly found extremely attractive.

"Maybe not as my tutor," Zach started. "But as my best friend? As someone who pushed me to be better? As the only person I could exchange a single glance with and have a full blown conversation done in three seconds? Of course I needed you. I will _always_ need you."

She stood still for a moment, breathing through the pain she caused both of them because she was too scared. "I'm sorry," she choked out. "It took losing you for me to realize how much I've come to need you, too."

He hesitated to say anything, and for a moment, she was worried he was going to turn her down. But then he reached for her hand and ran his thumb across the back with that soothing, feather-light touch of his.

She looked up into his face, painfully aware of the hope in her eyes.

He gave her a small smile, and she didn't need any more than that to know he had forgiven her.

He pulled her closer and covered her smile with his lips, kissing her softly as though making a promise.

She didn't pull away this time, and she was faintly mindful of the crowd cheering as they made out in front of the whole school.

Eventually, he inched himself away, still smiling. Against her lips, he teased, "You might want to get out of here before we're penalized for a sideline infraction."

She left the field smiling and the new quarter continued, Roseville finally catching up to the other team's score.

They won the game, Zach having made the final touchdown, and he tossed Cammie the football.

On it was a complex algebra inequality written in sharpie that when she solved it, read _i (is less than) 3u_.

Her heart fluttered harder than ever before. He confessed his love for her using math…

Never had she been so proud of her tutoring skills.

* * *

 **It's so annoying that fanfic doesn't allow some symbols on here...**

 **So what did you think? Leave a review and tell me your favorite and your least favorite part! I like to get ideas about what my readers like (: My favorite was where Zach said they should hang out more, because you get to see that his feelings for her are changing and evolving ;P**

 **Another big thanks to all my betas, and a huge thanks to all those who read this story! You're all amazing (:**


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